RBP4 [SPOILERS] - Shaka of Zulu (sunrise089, regoarrarr, and friends)

[regoarrarr]

Well our scout is heading back (ETA about 5-6 turns).

We'll have a warrior built next turn, so we'll have to decide what we want to do with him

[regoarrarr]

Okay - a bit of thought on some C&D information.

This past turn (Turn 15 - 3400 BC), one team (Luddite / atlas) grew to pop 2 (evidenced by going in score from 35 to 37). Here's my thinking on their breakdown.

Turn 0-8 - building a worker, working the 1/3 deer plus 2/2 city center. With expansive, that's 7 f-h/t, so worker in 9.
Turn 9: Worker built, capital at 0/22 - swap to 3/1 deer, worker moves to grass deer
Turn 10: 3/22, camp
Turn 11: 6/22, camp
Turn 12: 9/22, camp
Turn 13: 12/22, camp done at EOT, work the 5/1 deer
Turn 14: 17/22
Turn 15: 0/24 - growth to size 2.

That all makes sense and jives with the available data that we are able to glean from.

The real question (at least to me) is why was he the only one.

There are 3 other Expansive civs that could have had a worker out on Turn 9 and followed this plan. In addition to us, who obviously followed a different path, there is Locke (Spi/Exp) and WarlordDr (Chm/Exp).

My best guess is that they spent some number of turns working the 1/3 deer, perhaps to get a warrior out sooner? Certainly makes sense in Warlord's case, since he had a scout start. And Locke could have his warrior far away and want some security.

We'll be able to know a bit more once we see what turn they DO start growing.

[regoarrarr]

Then there's still the "Fishing" research by plako. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one. It just seems like such an odd choice (for a land-locked capital). I've been trying to wrack my brains for what ELSE it could be


* I checked and I think that huts are off (I know we haven't seen any) but in any case, plako was not logged in when he got the score increase, so it can't be a tech from a hut.

* He's gotten 2 techs in 14 turns. If everyone's starts are similar that means 10bpt. The only techs that fit are Hunting and Fishing at 69 beakers each. The next most expensive techs are Mining and Mysticism at 85b. It can't be Mining because soldier count did not increase on T14 (not to mention that he starts with Mining). Mysticism is possible, but that means he needs to have gotten 2 extra bpt, which I can't figure out with no cottages. Possible that he's the only (or one of the only) ones to have an oasis or something

So the reasons for going Fishing as your 2nd tech that I can see.

1) Hoping for an early run at Sailing (TGLh) / coastal. Possible when he sees everyone (but us) on the coast.

2) Wanting an extra pre-req at a run to Pottery. Seems odd though - I'd think the Wheel would be a better next tech. He already starts with Agriculture, so if he wanted early Pottery, seems like it would be better to just go for it early (as we are expecting for Gaspar / Nakor)

So while I still think he teched Fishing, I put it only at about 75% confidence at this point - bears some watching over the next few turns.

[regoarrarr]

So this next turn (Turn 16), I'd expect several more growths to size 2. This would be all the non-Expansive civs that went max-growth. Anyone that doesn't grow either has a different start (possible but looking more and more unlikely), or spent some turns at max hammers (technically speaking I mean non max-food), likely to get a(nother) warrior out.

[regoarrarr]

So I posted a desk and credenza for sale on Craigslist. $25 for the desk and $40 for the credenza. I got an email from someone who asked if I'd be willing to negotiate in price and if I'd take $75 for both of them. Uhhhh yes?

/gratuitous thread jack and post spam

[Square Leg]

So I posted a desk and credenza for sale on Craigslist. $25 for the desk and $40 for the credenza. I got an email from someone who asked if I'd be willing to negotiate in price and if I'd take $75 for both of them. Uhhhh yes?

/gratuitous thread jack and post spam

Win

[sunrise089]

[regoarrarr]

Okay turn rolled, as Sunrise pointed out with his new pic.

For the scout, we should target the grass hill 1S of the peak (S-SW of the cows). That is a coastal hill that we'd have had access to if we had settled in place, and given all the shenanigans about having different civ colors and such, the thought was that we might have sight on colors of civs across the coast.

In demographics news, nothing too crazy. Moogle grew to size 2, which just leaves us (grow in 2), Locke and Plako as those stuck on size 1. It was determined that it was much more likely that they'd be building a 2nd worker or settler than working max hammers to kick out many warriors.

So that led to the following chat discussion

(11:19:56 AM) sunrise089: want to know my theory of why you rush a settler on a water map with a landlocked cap?
(11:20:05 AM) me: yes
(11:20:09 AM) sunrise089: guess
(11:20:15 AM) me: to get the GLH?
(11:20:22 AM) sunrise089: bingo

Suddenly the Fishing research, which was so confusing a few days ago, all starts to make much more sense!!

Plako is Imp, which means that if he's working the 3/3 deer, he'll make 10 f-h/t towards a settler. Worker done on Turn 10, then 8f-h for 5 turns till the camp was done, then 10 for 6 turns, means that settler done EOT21, moves 22 and best case (for them) settles on T23.

I'd say it's likely that he plants to share tiles with the capital (especially the 3/3 deer), but that's still 12-15t to get the LH up with no chops or whips. He's probably researching Sailing now, and then BW -> Masonry.

Locke could be doing the same, but he's Expansive, so he had a worker on T9, but he has 6->8 f-h/t on a settler, so his settler would come out on T23 (2 turn delay).

[Rowain]

For the scout, we should target the grass hill 1S of the peak (S-SW of the cows). That is a coastal hill that we'd have had access to if we had settled in place, and given all the shenanigans about having different civ colors and such, the thought was that we might have sight on colors of civs across the coast.

You have me completly confused now.
The one hill I see south of a peak and in reach of the Scout would be S SW from Pigs but have nothing todo with your Capital-movement. and the one hill near cows and your original starting pos would need several turns and be S+W from the cows


EDIT: the bolded part should read SW + W

[regoarrarr]

You have me completly confused now.
The one hill I see south of a peak and in reach of the Scout would be S SW from Pigs but have nothing todo with your Capital-movement. and the one hill near cows and your original starting pos would need several turns and be S+W from the cows

Naturally I put in confusing directions so as to confuse the lurkers, so they would

a) Post about why that made no sense

b) Allow me to post again, explaining what I really meant

//thread spam FTW


(It's W-SW of the cows)